


The Snow Witch

by spikesgirl58



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2019-02-15 12:58:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13031628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikesgirl58/pseuds/spikesgirl58
Summary: Lost in the night, the guys stumble upon a cottage, convenient or is there something more sinister at play?





	The Snow Witch

**Author's Note:**

  * For [selyndae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/selyndae/gifts).



“Who would think that it would snow in Japan?” Napoleon sipped sake from a small cup, its glaze catching the reflections of the overhead lights and shining like a jewel.

“Aside from all the woodblock prints, you mean?” Illya leaned against Napoleon, his head tipped back so he could see the man out of the corner of his eye.

“Exactly… no, wait. You know what I mean.” Napoleon offered the cup to Illya.

“Yes, I do.” Illya smiled and finished the sake. “Some parts of Japan get quite a lot of snow. Obviously.”

They were staying in a lovely little ryokan at Beniya Mukayu, a spot known for its onsens, or hot springs, a bit of self-indulgence after the insanity of their last affair.   Illya knew the country well and Napoleon was enjoying the benefits of having a partner who was also a tour guide.

They had spent the good part of the afternoon languishing on one of the many hot springs. Then they had returned to their room for some very satisfying sex. Even now Napoleon could feel that sweet hot burn as Illya entered him.   He could still hear Illya’s moan when, their roles reversed, he pounded Illya, tasting the salt of Illya’s sweat as he bit and licked Illya’s neck.

Now Napoleon relished the cool air of their private porch as he sipped hot sake. The soft blond of the bamboo blended in with the snowy landscape, making the ryokan appear to be part of the landscape. Everything was in perfect harmony.

Just having Illya in his arms was enough to encourage a partial erection, but for now, both men were content to rest. Napoleon knew, however, that following some dinner and wine, they would both be ready to love the night away. That’s what he loved about Illya – willing, capable and more than ready. He wondered when they had moved from being just partners to friends to lovers. Try as he might, he couldn’t remember a single defining moment. Like the ryokan, their lives just blended together into one.

“This is nice, Napoleon said.” Snowflakes drifted down to land on the exposed skin of his hand and face. Illya turned and impulsively licked one off Napoleon’s cheek.

Then there was a movement, almost too far away to be seen. There was something odd about it and it drew Napoleon’s attention. He sat forward for a better look.

“Napoleon?” Illya followed his stare. “What is it?

“I thought I saw something.”

“What?”

“No idea. I couldn’t… there it is again!” This time the figure drifted into the light, a woman with long black hair and wearing a kimono of white with.   “Do you see her?”

Illya looked and shook his head. “I don’t see anything.”

 _Help me_ , the woman mouthed to Napoleon and looked fearfully over her shoulder. _Help me!_

***

Napoleon struggled forward a step and then readjusted his grasp on his semi-conscious partner. “C’mon, Illya, pretend you have legs.”

“I’m trying.” Illya moaned with the effort. “If you hadn’t followed those tracks.” Illya moved his feet after the fact. He coughed and winced.

“Those tracks weren’t my fault.” Napoleon still wasn’t sure how that had happened.

“Maybe it was a yukinbō,” Illya said as he stumbled, pulling them both to the ground.  Napoleon didn’t try to fight it.  The snow offered little cushion for their fall. 

Napoleon pushed Illya’s scarf from his face and stared into Illya’s eyes. “You’re rambling, partner. Do you have a fever? What is a yukinbō?”

Illya’s head bobbed as he thought.  “Um, a one –legged child that is supposed to be a servant for a mountain god.  He’s supposed to leave odd tracks in the snow.”

“Well, they were odd, but I thought they were from THRUSH.”

“I don’t think THRUSH was ever here,” Illya muttered.  He looked around and gestured Napoleon closer.  “I think this is all the Yuki-onna’s doing.”

“Sure it is.”  Napoleon sighed.  “Come on.  We have to keep moving.”

“Good thing.  I’m freezing.”

“Yeah, me, too, partner.  So what’s a Suki yaki got to do with this?”

Illya managed to laugh and then cradled his side.  “Ouch.”

“Broken?”

“Cracked, I think.  The Yuki-onna is a snow witch, Napoleon.  She lures people, usually men, to their death.  You were the one who saw the beautiful woman and insisted we follow her.”

“She was being chased by THRUSH, I’m sure of it.”

“Then she led us to the middle of a lake and disappeared.”

“Yes, well, I’m still trying to sort that out.  At least we were able to get closer to shore before the ice gave way.”  He shook his head, still hearing that horrible moan as the ice cracked beneath their feet and the mad dash for the shore.  He’d been just two steps ahead of Illya when the ice broke and plunged Illya into the frigid water.

To this moment, Napoleon didn’t know how he did it, but he managed to grab Illya’s outstretched hand and pull him forward to safety.  It had meant a hard landing, but at least Illya didn’t go down with the ice.

They stumbled on to the point of where Napoleon had just about given up hope of finding civilization again.  The snow had stopped, the clouds had vanished and the temperature had plummeted.   Napoleon thought he was cold before, but now the night was taking it out a whole new door.

“Illya, look.”  He pointed to a speck of light. “A house, finally! We’re saved.”

“Wishful thinking. I think my pants have frozen.” He slapped his leg to prove his point.

“Just as long as nothing else has.”

“Always a one track mind.”

“I was referring to your feet. Who has a one-track mind?”

Illya grunted as he moved forward.

It seemed to take forever to cover the distance between where they were and the little house, but finally they stumbled up to its door stoop and Napoleon knocked.

“Who is it?” The voice from inside was soft and female.

“Two lost travelers. Please let us in as we are freezing.”

“How can I trust you to not harm me?”

“We’ve been out here for hours, nothing works anymore,” Illya muttered and the door opened to reveal a young woman, her hair loose about her shoulders. Obviously, she had been asleep.

She studied them for a moment and then stepped aside.

“Thank you.” Napoleon helped Illya over the threshold and to the fireplace.  The woman moved quietly and stoked the fire up.  “Not a lot of heat.”

“Give it time.” She walked to a small cast iron stove and checked its flame.  Then she picked up a kettle and began to make tea.

Napoleon helped Illya ease down onto a tatami mat in front of the fireplace.  “I’m all right, Napoleon.” Illya said, his teeth clenched against the pain.

“Now pull the other one, partner.”  He unbuttoned Illya’s jacket and slipped it off. “I think we better let you defrost a bit before we try the boots.  Stuff might snap off.”

“Your friend is hurt?”  She asked as she carefully brought in a tray with a tea pot, cups, a little glass of milk and a small dish of sugar.  She knelt before them and placed the tray on the floor.

Napoleon nodded as he pulled off his own jacket and gloves.  The fire was putting out little heat, but it was better than being outside in the cold. He could hear the wind start to blow again.

He watched the woman carefully pour the tea, adding just a touch of milk and sugar to it.  “I’m sorry, I haven’t even introduced myself.  My name is Napoleon and this is my partner, Illya.”

“I am…. Yuki.”  She held a cup out to him and Napoleon accepted it.  The tea was barely warm, but it was refreshing and he could appreciate that she had been in a hurry to offer something warm for them to drink.

“Here, Illya.” Illya reached for it, but his hand trembled too much.   Napoleon held the cup while Illya drank from it.  “Do you have any blankets?” he asked as he returned the cup to the tray,

Yuki nodded and rose.  She returned with several thick blankets and set them down on the floor beside Illya.

“Thank you.”  He smiled at her and she dropped her eyes, blushing slightly.  “Let’s get you out of those wet clothes, Illya.  You’ll warm up faster.”

“I will bid you both goodnight.” She gestured with a petal white hand.  “My room is just in there, should you require me.”

Napoleon gave her one of his best smiles before turning back to Illya. “Thank you for your kindness, Yuki.”

He eased off Illya’s boots and set them by the fire to dry. Shaking his head, he grabbed another log and added it to the grate.  It took a moment to catch, but almost immediately the room started to warm.  “That’s more like it.”

Illya had gotten his belt undone and was struggling with his fly. “I can’t feel my fingers,” he complained and relaxed back as Napoleon took over.

Within moments Illya was down to his underwear and piled with blankets. Napoleon reached under the bottom one, found a foot and began to warm it by cupping in with his hands.

“Ouch,” Illya grumbled.

“You complain when you can’t feel anything, you complain when you can.” He worked each toe, checking for the telltale look of frostbite.  When satisfied that it passed muster, he started on the other foot.

“Our hostess is very… reserved.”

“Not the word I’d use, but yes. I’m just thankful she’s here at all.”

“Doesn’t any of this strike you as a bit too convenient?”

“There’s that Russian pessimism that I know and love.” Napoleon finished with Illya’s other foot and let his fingers move to an ankle, then Illya’s calf

“As much as I appreciate your tender ministrations, and I do appreciate them, you need to stop or our hostess will get more than an eyeful.”

“You’ve got a cracked rib.”

“When has that ever stopped me?” Despite his words, Illya’s voice was sleepy.  Napoleon, too, felt weary to the bone.  He put another log on the fire, stripped down to his underwear and climbed in with Illya, spooning against his back.

“Mmm, this is nice.”

“It’s better than being outside, that’s for certain.” Draping his arms over Illya’s waist, he pressed close.  “And this is very nice.”  At the lack of response, he smiled, kissed the back of Illya’s head and let himself drift to sleep.

 

He wasn’t sure how long he’d slept, but he woke to dying flames. Suddenly Yuki was there, stoking the fire.  She struggled to lift a piece of wood and Napoleon climbed out of his warm cocoon to help her.

“Thank you,” she murmured, watching Illya. He slumbered on.  “Come with me,” she said to Napoleon.  She stood and took a few steps towards her bedroom.  “Come be with me.”

Napoleon stood and then awareness dawned. “No, I can’t.”

“Why? Because of him?”

“Yes.”

“I should have known your heart when you failed to abandon him in the lake.”

“That was you. You were the woman in the snowstorm.”

She nodded. “Yes, I am Yuki-onna.”

“The Snow Witch.”

She smiled sadly. “You know of me.”

“He told me.” Napoleon looked back at Illya and smiled.

“You love him.”

“I do.”

“I regret my actions.” She walked to the door.  “Leave here in the morning.  Speak of what has passed with no other.”  She stepped out into the wind and swirling snow.

“Wait!” Napoleon ran to the door, but it opened into a world of white and cold.  Yuki had vanished.  Napoleon looked back at Illya, then shut the door and returned to the fire.  What he was going to tell Illya in the morning was a mystery.  Hell, what he was going to tell himself was a mystery. 

He climbed back under the covers and pulled Illya close. What wasn’t a mystery was how he felt for the man in his arms.  He happened to glance at his watch then and noted that the minute hand had clicked over to one minute past midnight.  Christmas Day was here and Napoleon could think of no better gift in the world.


End file.
